


018 Embrace

by rhicola



Series: Bethyl Prompt List [6]
Category: The Walking Dead
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-16
Updated: 2015-04-16
Packaged: 2018-03-23 04:35:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3754774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rhicola/pseuds/rhicola
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Just some feels I felt like getting out. Goes along with the theory that Team Family had to leave Beth behind in a car after Coda.</p>
    </blockquote>





	018 Embrace

**Author's Note:**

> Just some feels I felt like getting out. Goes along with the theory that Team Family had to leave Beth behind in a car after Coda.

The car was empty.

When Daryl had first proposed this trip, Aaron had his doubts. He imagined the struggle of finding gas for their car, and the possibility of running into several hordes of walkers—not to mention the threat of the ‘wolves’ that led the two of them to being trapped inside a car surrounded by geeks. He thought of every single bad scenario, but the longing in his friend’s eyes was what convinced him to make the journey back to Atlanta, Georgia.

Daryl wasn’t much of a talker, especially about his own feelings. He kept to himself and did things without explanation, and Aaron went along with it because if the end of the human race wasn’t going to change the man, he sure as hell wouldn’t either.

He’d learned a few things during the roadtrip, though. Like the girl’s name, which was Beth. And how she’d died, which was a gunshot to the head. Daryl explained tersely where it happened: a hospital she was held captive in. He mentioned their group being ambushed by walkers and having to leave her body behind, which of course prompted this mission. “She said funerals were beautiful,” Daryl had explained, his main reason for going back to bury the girl properly.

The way that Daryl talked of Beth reminded Aaron of Eric. He could paint hope and happiness with his memories of her. His eyes lit up at the corners of his smile when he recounted their night of moonshine and secrets. He hummed softly to himself when he didn’t think Aaron was listening, a song she’d sung for him one night. He spoke so highly of the girl that Aaron could tell he not only cared for her, but loved her deeply and unconditionally. By the time the car entered the state of Georgia, he was sure he’d also drive across the country in order to gain closure if Eric—god forbid—ever died.

But the car was empty, and Daryl hung his head hopelessly as his hands reached up to cover his face.

“Are you sure this is the right car?” Aaron asked, unsure of what to do. But Daryl nodded slowly and his heart sank a little for the man. He opened his mouth to ask what Daryl thought might have happened to her body, but quickly decided against it; and instead retreated to their car to give his friend some space.

A door clicked closed in the distance, its echo going unnoticed by Daryl who was lost in his own thoughts and grief. His fingertips were still rubbing the tears from his eyes when a pair of arms embraced him tightly around his torso from behind. The body pressed against his back started to rock side to side, and a quiet giggle muffled by his leather vest pricked his ears.

“I told ya you’d miss me, Daryl Dixon.”


End file.
